Rodolfo Vieira

Rodolfo Vieira is a Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt under Master Julio César Pereira, being widely regarded as the best heavyweight gi grappler of his generation. Competing for Grappling Fight Team (GFT), Rodolfo was the first big name to come out of the Rio de Janeiro academy, redirecting the sport’s spotlight to the team that has since brought forward numerous other high-end athletes. On November 2015 Rodolfo Vieira announced his move to American Top Team (ATT) to pursue a career in mixed martial arts.

Rodolfo Vieira Jiu Jitsu

Full Name: Rodolfo Vieira Srour

Nickname: Caçador dos Faixas Pretas which translates to “Black Belt Hunter”. The nickname was given after Rodolfo won the World Pro Cup Trials in the brown/black mixed belt division, wining several matches against distinguished black belts while being a rising brown belt.

Rodolfo Vieira Biography

Rodolfo Vieira was born on the 25th of September, 1989 in Rio de Janeiro – Brazil.

Jiu jitsu appeared in Rodolfo’s life as a way to lose weight when he was 13 years old. His first instructors were Arlans Maia and Bruno Souza for whom Rodolfo trained and competed.

As a blue belt Rodolfo decided to switch training camps, looking for a more competitive gym atmosphere. He chose to join Universidade Gama filho, led by Julio Cesar Pereira – a team that later became Grappling Fight Team (more on the history of GFT here).

Rodolfo receiving his black belt at the airport.

Rising through the ranks of the sport, Rodolfo Vieira was seen as a good prospect for the future, but not many believed he could break out as early as he did. Vieira’s first major win on an international level came about in 2009 as a brown belt, when Rodolfo won the Abu Dhabi World Pro Championship, defeating 2x black belt world champion Braulio Estima in the process. Upon his arrival, Master Julio César awarded Vieira his black belt right there at the airport.

Rodolfo Vieira repeated the deed on January 2011, this time as an established black belt winning his weight and the open weight division in the Abu Dhabi World Pro. That same year Rodolfo also conquered the Pan American and the World championships in his weight and the open weight divisions, cementing his name as the strongest 94kg/207kg gi specialist in the world.